The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-06-01
THE HOUSTON, CENTRAL
ARKANSAS AND NORTH
ERN RAILROAD.
ALEXANDRIA. La,
May 28th, 1887.

May 2Sth, 1887. {
A meeting of the citizens of AL
exandria was called this day to meet
at the City Hall at $3.50 o'clock p.
M, for the purpose of listening te
to the remarks of Mr.. Chas. NJ
Right, representing the Houston
Central Arkansas and Northern Rail.
road, line of railroad projected
from Pine Bluff, Ark, via Alexsn'
dria, La, to Houston, Texas.
Mayor Thomas Crawley called the
meeting tie order and on motion Of
Mr.. NJ. C. Moseley, Mayor Crawley
was elected permanent Chairman OF
the meeting. On motion E. II.
Mccormick of the Toaon Talk and
H. l.. Biossat, of the Democrat were
elected Secretaries.
The Chairman stated the object OF
the meeting, and Mr.. Right was called
to the stand.
Mr.. Kight stated that he had been
connected with the railroad business
for is years, and did not claim to be
a public speaker, but would endeav-
er to talk to the people in a plain,
business-like manner, and would
open his heart and tell all that be
knew.
Mr.. Knight then spoke Of the diff
ferent members of the Company he
represented, and said that they we're
all business men.
Major Converse, one of the mem
bers of the Company, although prob
ably not known here, was we'll known
to the railroad world. Said that he had
built hundreds of miles Of railroads
in the United States, and mentioned
the fact that he had constructed
600 miles of the Southern Pacific
Railroad.
Col. A. W. Files, another member
Of the Company was for two years
of the State of Arkansas
and is now prominent lawyer and
capitalist of Little Rock.
Major Converse visited New York
in the interest of the company and
secured all the aid he desired, be-
ing so we'll known as the successful
builder of many other railroads. 1t
was first intended to build from Pine
Bluff to Monroe, but the New York
capitalists thought it best to build
from Pine Bluff to Houston.
Mr.. Right very truthfully said
that If there was any people on the
face of the earth who deserve
railroad it is the people between
Pine Bluff and Arkansas His Com
pany have the money to build the
road and intend to do it.
At Pine Bluff the Houston, Gen.
raj Arkansas and Northern Railroad
will have two competing lines to
with for st. Louis and
he East. At Alexandria their
would also have competitive
rivals TO connect with.
He spoke of the fine lands that
would be opened up by this line of
'oad, and that it was the intention of
lis Company in every possible
manner to assist in building up the
that arrangements would be
made with Eastern roads to bring the
best class of European emigration
INTO the country to settle along the line
If the Houston, Central Arkansas and
Northern Railroad. As the Company
would receive a tax from most of
If the counties through which it
passed, it would he to the interest of
he Company to make the country as
oopulous and rich as possible in or
Ter to increase the assets derived
rom the tax of mill for 10 years.
The Houston, Arkansas Central
md Northern Railroad expects to
commence shovelling dirt in October
lext and would keep. on shovelling
Until the road was completed.
He estimated that $4,000 farms
we're opened up in Kansas last year
~ emigrants who were induced to
70 there by the advertisements of
ailroads owned by Eastern capital
SITS.
MIR. Kight said that it would be
he aim of his Company to build up
he country through which their rail
DAD will run. He pointed to the
Texas & Pacific as showing how little
. railroad could do locally for the